Last Goodbye
by TealyBob
Summary: They go to kill him, she helps him escape, and they're allowed a short time to admit their feelings and say their last goodbyes, never to see each other again. Elejah.


The plan was simple: Get in the house, distract Klaus, dagger Rebekah and Elijah, and get out. The group had learned that Kol had been the one that set up the blood line that led to the Salvatore's, meaning they were going to spare him. They were sparing Klaus too, thanks to Caroline. She refused to let Tyler die. Damon put up quite the fight, but everyone else won in the end.

They were all outside the house, waiting. All the living originals were in that house. Bonnie had scheduled a 'meeting' with Kol, so he would be leaving the house any minute. Damon and Elena were to deal with Elijah, and Alaric and Stefan were on Rebekah, as Caroline distracted Klaus.

"You ready?" Stefan questioned the blonde bait.

"Surprisingly, yes," Caroline answered. "Just get in there and out as fast as you can. The less time I spend alone with that half-breed, the better."

Alaric was fiddling with the ring on his finger. Damon forced him to wear it, especially for tonight. He was half way certain Alaric would get himself killed. He was absolutely certain that Elena would end up dead herself. He had ordered her to stay out of all of this, but Stefan was there to 'save the day' and let her put her life at risk. But, luckily, they let Damon stay with her, just because he was the only one able to keep an arm around her and dagger a vampire at the same time.

Elena was over by herself, panicking. She had been prepared to kill Rebekah, but everyone decided against letting Rebekah see Damon in chances of setting her off, and Damon wouldn't leave Elena's side. So she was stuck with killing Elijah, the one person she wasn't sure she could watch die without feeling like dying herself.

"Ok, he's leaving," announced Stefan in a whisper as Kol exited the house. Everyone got focused and waited until he was in his car and driving away before splitting and going to their designated locations around the house.

Caroline raped on the door, and Damon and Stefan had the hearing intensity to catch the sound of Klaus opening the door, saying a few words, letting her in, and shutting the door behind them.

Alaric and Stefan made their way around the house while Damon stopped Elena under a window. Damon and Elena were thinking the same thing as he motioned to hoist her up into the open window. She placed her foot in his entwined fingers and held still as he pushed her up to meet the opening in the wall. She swung her free leg over the railing and into the dark room and pushed her head in after, followed by her body and other leg.

"You ok?" Damon asked in a low tone so only she would hear.

"Yeah," Elena replied, not raising her voice at all because she knew his vamp hearing would pick it up.

But, sadly, that was the last thing the two said to each other for a long time, because as Damon jumped up the wall and caught onto the windowsill, something fast and silent came up from behind Elena, covered her mouth, and had her out of the room in a second.

Elena breathed heavily as she stared at the suited chest so close in front of her. Her breathing slowed and quieted as her eyes trailed up into the familiar brown eyes of Elijah, the man she was to kill.

"Elena?" she heard Damon call. Elijah held a finger to his lips as his eyes bore down into hers. She nodded ferociously; trying to reassure him he could trust her. His hands slowly slid away from her mouth, letting into her. Damon continued to call out quietly for her, but Elijah took hold of her hand and led her away from Damon's beckoning.

After they had gone down a long hallway he dragged her into an empty room that looked like it was being repaired on, no furniture was in sight. He let go of her hand and shut the door behind them with a small click. Then he turned back to her and led her away from the door before stopping her and taking hold of her shoulders. The room was dark, but just enough light spilled in from the window that she could see his face and his glowing outline.

"We don't have much time, Elena, so tell me quickly," Elijah said in his deep, urgent voice. But Elena was still studying his face, refreshing his image in her mind. "What are they planning?" he continued.

Elena became focused and swallowed. "Stefan and Alaric are trying to get Rebekah," she began.

"'Get' as in kill, yes?" he clarified. Elena closed her eyes. Somehow, it sounded awful when he said it. She slowly nodded and bit her lip. "And you? What are you and Damon set out to do?" he asked.

She knew he knew. There was only one possible thing that she and Damon could be doing, and Elijah knew that. He just wanted to hear her say it. She breathed through the regret that had stopped her words and whispered, "We came to kill you, Elijah."

Elijah let go of her shoulders and stood up straighter. "I see," he said quietly, giving the impression he was thinking.

Elena could tell that he was discouraged, disappointed with her. She had hurt him. "Elijah, please believe me, I didn't want this. I don't want to see you get hurt," admitted, finally. Elijah stopped moving entirely, as did Elena, and they just stared at each other.

That was the first time either of them had expressed any of the many feelings they had for each other out loud. But the moment was soon cut short by the sound of slow, steady footsteps descending the hall, coming towards them.

Elijah looked away first, towards the door, then around the room. He grabbed Elena around the waist and in a blink of her eye she was in a different room. A very small room. So small and crammed that it was almost like a closet. It was a closet; Elena saw she and Elijah were among coats and jackets. After she registered where she was, she realized how close she was to the man in front of her. Their chests were only about four inches from touching; and their faces, even closer.

"How did you kill Finn?" he asked.

Elena frowned and shook her head. "You don't know?"

"I just returned this afternoon and it seems everyone wants to keep the secret from me," he said with a hint of anger of disloyalty.

"White Oak," Elena revealed to him, reaching up her sleeve and pulling out a stake. "We all have one," she whispered, holding it up.

Elijah studied it, and then looked back to her with anger. "Well then, do it. What are you waiting for?"

Elena looked shocked. "Elijah, I said I wasn't going to kill you," she reminded with shock in her voice.

"And why not?" he asked, amused.

"Because!" she answered urgently. She gave no reason, just 'because'.

"Because of what?" Elijah pressed on.

"Because I care about you!" she whispered violently, placing the stake on the shelf above their heads.

Elijah reached up to grab the pointed piece of wood as soon as Elena's hand was to her side again. "Elena," he started, grabbing her hand and placing the weapon in it. He clutched his hands around hers and the stake. "I need you to kill me," he ordered in a whisper.

"Why?" she hissed.

"Because if anyone is going to kill me tonight, I want it to be you!" he said truthfully.

"Well then I guess you're not going to die tonight," she retorted. She struggled to get her hand out of his and away from the stake, but his weren't even budging.

_He_ wasn't budging. His eyes locked on to hers. "Elena, with the eldest original gone, we are all weaker. There is little chance that I will get out alive tonight," he explained.

Elena's mind raced. There was a way for him to escape, but she would most definitely get caught in the end.

"Is there anyone coming?" she asked, referring to the hallway outside of the closet they were in.

Elijah's gaze softened and he watched her face. Everything was silent. He seemed to be totally focused on what was outside, but also on her.

"No," he said after a few moments of silence. "There's no one outside."

Elena nodded and slowly turned to the door of the closet, opening it ever so quietly. She turned her head to speak to Elijah over her shoulder. "How do we get to the roof?" she whispered under her breath.

"There's a balcony at the end of the hallway. If we can get there I'll be able to take us both up the building," he answered.

Elena swallowed and stepped out into the hall, looking everywhere and anywhere for any signs of other beings. She saw a window with dark trees outside and started to head for it, Elijah on her tail. As she walked, she felt Elijah's hand barely hold the small of her back as he came up to walk alongside her.

When they reached the window, Elijah drew his hand up to open the glass door, letting in a cold breeze as it cracked open. Elena, still holding the stake in her clenched hand, took the first step outside as Elijah motioned her to. He followed quickly and shut the glass behind him.

Everything was different out here. It didn't seem as scary and regretful as it had when they had first arrived at the house. But it did seem sadder.

But Elena wasn't able to enjoy the silence of the night for long, because she felt an arm around her waist and a rush of air as she flew upward and landed softly onto the roof of the house. Elijah let her go, watching her carefully. Elena looked around, as she reached behind her and handed the stake to Elijah without looking, and noted that the entire roof was flat, making this whole ordeal much easier.

"Now what exactly are you planning, Elena?" Elijah asked, watching her back as she looked around, and fiddling with the wood she had just handed over to him. She had been hoping there would be a wind, one that could carry sediments away. But the night was still as could be.

"Well, I was hoping on letting you take the stake and run away, tell everyone that I killed you and the wind blew your ashes away…but seeing as there's no wind…" Elena trailed, trying to think of what else to do.

"Why are you helping me escape?" Elijah asked.

"I told you. I care about you. I don't want to see you get hurt," Elena explained again, not looking at him.

"You care for a lot of people, but that is because they are your friends. I, however, have done terrible things. Why would you care for me?" he asked, hitting a good point.

Elena shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe I just see the good in you," she tried, finally looking at him.

"Elena, I'm going to run, escape, and never return. Please, if you won't tell me the truth for my sake, tell me for your own." He started walking towards her. "Because if you don't tell me now, it will forever haunt you, forever be a chip on your shoulder, and it will kill you," he told her. He finally stopped in front of her and smiled a little, looking down on her. "Trust me. I've done the same," he chuckled.

Elena looked up to his eyes, knowing everything he said was true. She inhaled. "I was telling the truth. I don't know," she repeated, shrugging. "Maybe when you feel drawn to someone, you look beyond they're wrongs," she said with confidence, knowing what she was admitting to. "You mean something to me, so I just…love the good parts of you."

"You love parts of me?" Elijah repeated.

"I love all the parts of you," she corrected. "The good, the bad, the regal, the original," she joked. Elijah smiled down at her. She looked down for a moment before looking up, deciding on her next words.

"I love you."

Elijah stared at her. Joy, happiness, fear, anger, relief, love, they all rushed to him right then. Emotions he had long forgotten came flooding back. Elena loved him, and he loved her even more. …But he couldn't have her. She was only saying this because she knew it was goodbye. It was the end of them. He had to leave her.

Elijah wanted more than anything to hold her right there and kiss her, take her with him, but he couldn't. He couldn't for so many reasons.

So, instead of the happily ever after they both wanted, his eyes slowly filled with tears. He hadn't cried for nearly three hundred years, and he hated the feeling. Elena's eyes filled instantly when she understood what was going through his head.

"No," she murmured. She reached out and gripped his vest, pulling him towards her, not wanting to let go. But Elijah resisted, taking a step backwards. "No," she said again, quickly becoming frantic. "Please, Elijah, no!" He pulled out of her grip and continued to walk backwards, watching Elena's frozen figure. "Don't leave me," she begged. Tears were starting to fall down her face. "You can't leave me, not after what just happened," she choked out.

"I either leave you, or die before you," he replied, his voice broken from his own emotions. Elena understood, and she knew that he had to leave. She understood just as she had a few moments ago. She closed her mouth tight, chocking back cries, and barely nodded her head.

Elijah took just a few more second to look at her, then turned to the edge of the room, dagger in hand, and prepared to leave.

"Elijah," Elena stopped him in a quiet voice.

He turned to her gladly. "Yes?"

"Don't forget me," she begged. "Whatever you do, wherever you go, however long you live, don't forget me."

That was her last wish, that he didn't forget her. The idea that she even thought he might forget her made him want to break down. How could she even consider that, after everything. Then Elijah realized, he hadn't said anything, hadn't reassured her of loving her at all. And that was what would haunt him for the rest of his life if he didn't do it now.

So, dropping the piece of wood, he quickly strode over to her, wrapped his hands on her neck, and pulled her to him, pressing his lips fully against hers.

He tasted her tears, and she his. Her hands franticly clutched at his cloths and hooked onto the tops of his shoulders, pulling herself towards him. This was it, their last goodbye, their last anything. And knowing that just added onto the shocks going through both of their bodies.

Elena hadn't felt this since her first kiss with Stefan, and that didn't even compare to how she felt now. She felt safe, at home, at last. She felt she had everything she ever wanted.

Elijah, hadn't felt this for over centuries, and he knew he wouldn't for centuries to come, if ever. He wanted Elena, but he would have to live with disappointment and heartache for the rest of his days.

The kiss slowed, and the fireworks in their minds and bodies calmed, not disappearing, but calming. Elijah released her lips, but didn't move. They stayed there for what seemed like the longest time, their hands around each other, their breathing connected, and their lips only a shift away from touching again.

"I will never forget you, Elena…Remember that," Elijah said, looking at her closed eyes and calm face. "I love you," he told her, watching the smile erupt on her face. But that had to be it. He slowly released her and disappeared into the night, leaving her there, all alone.

Elena didn't move from where she was, she didn't open her eyes either. After eternity, she turned, took a few steps, and opened her eyes, never to look behind her at where her love fled.

Hours later, Stefan found her sitting on the roof, being content with the silence of what was her life. She looked up to meet Stefan's eyes, and found nothing of the fire that had been in Elijah's.

"Elijah?" Stefan repeated, getting Elena's full attention after saying many words that didn't register in her ears. "Where is he?"

Elena came to her senses and stood up. "He's gone," she said confidently.

"You killed him?" he asked.

Elena took a moment to look at the trees around them, wondering where he was…if he was thinking about her…

"Yes," she said subconsciously. "I killed him. You don't have to worry about him any more...He's gone."


End file.
